Hello:
I figured a blog for Fair Harbor is due.
Many of us have no way to contribute out thoughts and now we can have a say--to do what remains to be seen.
This is a great way to post whatever events,news or opinions on Fair Harbor and our culture.
Feel free to post anything of possible interest to the community. Use your gut to determine the content, tone and language so as not to offend anyone.
I figured a blog for Fair Harbor is due.
Many of us have no way to contribute out thoughts and now we can have a say--to do what remains to be seen.
This is a great way to post whatever events,news or opinions on Fair Harbor and our culture.
Feel free to post anything of possible interest to the community. Use your gut to determine the content, tone and language so as not to offend anyone.
THIS SITE DOESN'T ALL COMMENTORS TO UPLOAD IMAGES SO
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PHOTO POSTED EMAIL IT TO ME AS AN ATTACHMENT TO FAIRHARBOR@GMAIL AND I WILL POST IT RIGHT AFTER YOUR COMMENT OR CLOSE TO IT AND ATTRIBUTE YOUR NAME AND A TITLE AS YOU STATE.
To comment, click on "comments". You can post anonymous, or use your gmail name if you have one.
Enjoy and participate.
Enjoy
Jeff
32 comments:
What a day! Had to jump through hoops to get the the OB polling place. It is hard to believe that the Ferry did not have an electoral arrangement that made it easy for voters to go and come back.
But I guess this was serendipity since I drove to RM5, then prepared to hitch a ride to OB.
Having my sign and videocam with me I was prepared to document the effort, and I was not disappointed.
It turns out I began at home, stopped at a local 7-11 and great footage, then hailed some construction workers on the Wantagh bridge, and best of all
met up with an AAmerican mother and
her two young children in the parking field at 7:30am. We joined forces and immediately upon showing our
"OB Voting" sign we were picked up by a local contractor who allowed us to scramble into the back of the pick-up. Great ride as we bumped along the deep tread of the beach and shared stories of electoral promise.At the poll place, it was touching to see 6 legs from below the closed voting
booth curtain.I could hear both serious and happy murmers from
nearby.
Having done our civic duty, we walked back to the School where we prepared to intercept a Westward vehicle for a ride back to RM. Not to be disappointed a Hummer pulled up and the four of us climbed in.
Once again the bump and scrape along the beach ride as we all shared our good fortune to have met up, and to have made the small effort to add our voice to this important election.Back at the lot
Lucy and I hugged, exchanged cell phones and I promised to send here a DVD. Her small boys warmly said goodbye.
Not to waste an opportunity I took my surf rod to the beach and cast my lure, not vote, this time.Again good fortune and the sun shined on me and I had a nice 24" striped bass to the beach.What a way to round off a 2.5 hour journey.
I completed the video-verite with a short commentary on the importantance of the day and to tthis family and to the country.
All I can say is "Wow", great stuff.
I encourage all lovers of Fair Harbor to use this blog for personal musings,community announcements, questions, rental info, observations etc.
This is in no way associated with any community organization so it is free from political restraint or controversial issues.
Be well,
Hi Jeff - what a great idea.
I had a completely different voting experience in OB, my first time voting in FI. The ferry did have special boats, from Bay Shore to FH, to OB and back. I combined voting with closing up my house, and took the 10:50 boat from FH to OB. There was no line and voting was done very fast. Then there was a long wait for the returning boat, so I took a leisurely walk with Reggie (his first time voting ever)all around OB and to the beach. At 12:30 the boat took us back to FH. The day was beautiful and the best part - no charge on the ferry!
I also just started a blog for my Sea Blossom soap and lotion business - I'm hoping everyone will read it and comment!
Pat Robbins
seablossomnews.typepad.com
Pat:
I was into a hit and run scenario. As it turns out my trip was pretty. I did not want to stay and hand out.
When I called the Ferry they were not pro-active in the information.
But I', glad it worked out for you.
This is a place for soft sell, so why not give your web address for your goods?
Jeff
I want to thank Sarah Palin (aka Tina Fey) for her contribution to this election. Did I enjoy it? "You betcha."
Proud Cranberry Walker,
Judith Bauduy
Dear Jeff, Thanks for the great idea. I also took the ferry to and from OB to FH. Had planned to walk back but had left my camera on the ferry boat and had to return to OB.
It is still beautiful out here. Haven't had to use the wood stove for the last 4-5 days.
I will be sending an email to Gene Levy but want to thank all the Fair Harborites who generously brought food, household items and clothing to my house. I have transported about 5 carloads out to the Eastern Farm Workers Assoc in Bellport. I have 1 more trip to make. They have a clothing store and food bank.... so next year I will take all that you can bring me out there. Given the economy, am sure that all will be used. Stephanie Rogers
Stephanie:
I was not aware that you are receiving donations.
Are you still doing so?
If yes, how do we get to you or can we delivery somewhere else on the Island?
It is ALWAYS beautiful out there!
Jeff
Went out to the beach today, Sunday Nov 9th, sadly, to close the house for another too-short season.
It was a glorious day with super clear skies but a strong SW wind blowing on the ocean. Beautiful, blowy day. The beach has a nice width from the sandy point at the western end of Fair Harbor to the beginning of Dunewood. Further east there is a very narrow beach which is impassible during high tide.
The winds made it hard to surfcast but I was rewarded with 2 small striped bass. Too small for the dinner plate so back to the foamy surf they went. They were a bit disoriented at first making their way to the dunes, but with a little coaxing by me found their way home-wherever that may be! I ran into Wells Newell who told me he had 10 small stripers earlier in the morning. Another one or two guys fishing but did not last long. Back on the bayside, it was pretty deserted as well.Did not see a sould walking around. They must have been at their homes doing the close up thing as well.
Only two boats at the yacht club and one or two motoring across the bay in their boats. Yes, truly the end of the season.
The leaves have mostly turned their yellow-reddish and are piling up in small piles in the corners of my deck.The walks are very quiet with the only sounds there are from the visitors rushing to catch the late afternoon ferry. No tikes on bikes.
No crying babies nor barking dogs.
It is quiet.Almost desolate.
Even thought I officially closed the house, I'm sure I will find a reason to go out for a day to check things out or just find myself walking the beach thinking of summers to come.
A word of sympathy for Phil Straub and family. Phil's mon died after a few months of illness. May she rest in peace.
Good post.
Thanks, Jeff, I can always use some free publicity.
My online store is Seablossom.com.
Please come visit - it's filled with loads of lovely soaps,lotions,cremes and balms, all great affordable gifts.
I'm always adding new items - right now there are seasonal holiday soaps, and a gift packaged trio of my Spa Natural Soaps.
And everything is handmade by me!
So don't wait till the next Pine Walk Fair - Seablossom.com is always open!
Happy Holidays to all -
Pat Robbins
seablossom.com
Sunday January 4th:
It is amazing, the beginning of a new year already. Didn't I just turn the water off and now we are turning on a new year.
The community association had planned a get together at the Cornelia Street Cafe. I have been busy and neglected to make the reservation until the last minute.
I was looking forward to seeing lots of community people there and to catch up on goings ons(?). So, after quickly glancing over the date and time I made the reservation and mental note for the time for myself. Dee was busy getting our daughters back to school but I wanted to go. After a good day of doing errands and taking a long health walk with Dee and our dog Brodie, I got home and dressed for the occassion. Since we moved out of Manhattan 5 years ago to the southern shores of Long Island, 9 minutes from the beautiful area of Jones Beach, we do not go in much for social reasons.Loving the villages, West and East, I would have some time to walk around before the event getting re-acquainted with the changes and feel the soul of the City. I decided to drive in to make a stop at one of my favorite specialty stores, Kalustyan on Lexington Avenue and 28th St. What a great place for all kinds of international but decidedly eastern Indian style of rices, wheats,condiments,flour etc. It is like walking into a casbah somewhere where your senses are filled with the smells and assortment of goods you can never find in any regular grocery store, including Trader Joes! Anyway I was lucky to find a parking space nearby the spice store and spent nearly 30 minutes hunting for delictable side dishes and spices for home;red rice, black rice, wheat berries, chutney, mujlti-ccolored lentils and more. My bag was filled with goodies and fresh dried fruit I nibbled on. Having sated my visual appetite I walked a couple of blocks around. This area too has changed. We have spent many an evening having inexpensive, fun dinners down aroujnd 6th Street and 1st Avenue in small boutique eastern Indian restaurants enjoying their food. Now the area between 28-29th Street has Indianfied as well with about a dozen interesting places to eat from the taxi drivers mecca to upscale food trendies enjoying this cuisine. Great area but I had to move on. Getting back into the car and deciding to hit Soho and Bway a bit, since it was a bit early for the get together, I found a place on Bway and Spring to park-another miracle! I was uneasy though since I know it is very easy to miss one sign among others that seemingly contradict the others in terms of parking regs. But i felt relatively confident that I had translated them all to my safety. I began by passing by the old Canal Jeans that was bought by Bloomingdales years ago. As I walked by I still see the bins of shirts and pants for $1 on the sidewalk as the thick new glass doors open for buyers of designer goods pass me by. A bit further down the block I see wheat appears to be a Canal Jeans replacement, Yellow Rat Bastard? I see that it has the same funky look as the old CJ as I walk in. But loking at the price tags for tee shirts for $30 is a deceptive far-relation. Lots of imported, far-out, colorful clothes were all over the huge main and lower floor. I gravitated to the $5 rack but only had a bunch of ratty 2008 McCain and Clinton tee shirts, No thanks.
With tons of other apparel I'm sure it is a draw to the thousands of kids, like myself years ago, that come to the city in search of the exotic. Looking at my Cell Fob, I realize that time is drawing near for the party and I got into the car to head to the cafe.
Once again the spirits seemed to look kindly upon me with yet another good, legal parking spot. Although a couple of blocks away it gave me the time to walk the streets of my yuth() and relive old memories along Bleecker Street. As I neared the cafe I ran into Danny and his wife and the Kennedys who were just leaving. I asked why they were leaving since I remembered that it was to begin at 8 pm and run to 10pm. Danny looked at me in surprise and laughed. The gathering was 5:30-8, and I had just missed it! Unbelievable! I had the image of the email in my mind 8-10pm. But I guess in my haste I totally overlooked the real time! What a jerk! Here I was excited to see old FH friends, shoot the shit, and make tentative promises for the coming season.
So, I guess the spirits were not so kind to me after all. Yes they gave me way too much time to walk around and feel the good downtown earth again, but tricked me by the enticements. Oh well, my heart was there even though my body failed to be at the right place at the right time.
Slightly mad at myself for this mistake but also somewhat pleased that I was able to re-connect with other old "friends".
I'd like to say Hi to all those I missed, and wish everyone a Great New year-saying good-bye to those disappointments and tragedies of 2008, yet while looking to continuing the random success into 2009.
Best to all,
Jeff-Really see you next year!
Agree Kalustyan's is a wonderful place for spices and other treats. Folks may enjoy the adventure of shopping at 74th Street in Jackson Heights, where you are immediately immersed in a broad range of Indian groceries and other stores. Don't forget to reward yourself with a samosa on the way home!
Denise
Holly Walker
Hello to all you east coasters who are surviving a schizophrenic winter. LIfe is rather sweet in Santa Fe, weather wise. My new web site is up and running. Please check it out.
Thanks, Stephanie Rogers or Steph's Bodyworks
www.stephsbodyworks.com
I may get the hang of this some day. Apologies for the anonymous comment
Sunday March 15-I wish to express
our family's sadness about hearing of the passing of Ron Silver and extend our sympathy to Irv, May and family.
Irv and May brought their children
up on their home on Oak and Central.They were the 50"s family with a modest second home near the beach for the family to enjoy the fantastic beach and to bring a bit of the Catskill's cabin life to our community. They are a lovely family. To lose on of their fine and talented children is such a sorrow.Ron had brought a little excitement to the community when he showed up. He was a champion of causes and a real treat to debate and share ideas.We miss Irv and My since they sold their home and now we have to miss a bit more of their family.We love you, and offer our emotional support in this sad time. Jeff and Dee.
It is hard to believe that just a few weeks ago I was wondering when the weather would change, well it is now May 10 and it changed to summer! The island is alive with new sprouts of vegetation all over and the plants I though were dead are coming back to life. The beach is a wide as a 4-lane highway, boats are seen running the bay, and islanders are walking around in shorts and no shoes! The store, Corliss, and the restaurant are open.
The only down side is that this year’s rentals are bad. This is the first year that I have not seen groups of renters excitedly touring the community choosing houses for rent. I think I have seen half a dozen individuals this year. I posted our house on Craigslist and received so many fewer calls than last year. This is somewhat surprising given the relative upscale renter our community attracts but this economy is a reality check for everyone.
For the first time I decided to try turning the water off and on without the help of a pro. Luckily our house is fairly high and somewhat easy to crawl under. But I never have seen so many faucets! So I had to turn each one on and figure what lead to what in the house. What a puzzle. To remember what ones were which I tied a red ribbon on each so the house looks like a fresh-groomed poodle from underneath. At the end of last season I meticulously drained all the faucets, water heater, dishwasher, showers and toilet. I put anti-freeze in the toilet and figured I was set. This was the first time I did it so during the winter I intermittently thought of what I might have forgotten to do and visualized split copper pipes upon my return. I put those bad thoiught out of my mind.
The winter passed and I came to the beach a couple of weeks ago to clean up, and bring the spring into the house. Out went the mothballs and in came the ketchup, mayo and ice cream! I pulled on my old clothes and headed under the house to turn on all the water.
But first I had to find that special tool to turn on the main switch in the front of the house. After running all over Patrick and Melissa had one. Thank god. So that got me going.
Crawling over old pieces of wood, cool sand, and thinking of ticks, I found each ribbon and turned each faucet off. I went up to the house and fiddled with all the water flowing areas and the water flowed. All over the floor that is. I frantically looked for the leak and found it was coming from the dishwasher. I dove under the house and turned that particular faucet off and went back in the house to confront the problem.
It is really difficult to see under a dishwasher if you haven’t done it. So I had to figure out how to pull it out and find the leak. And find it we did. A stupid piece of plastic had cracked because I had neglected to put anti-freeze in the dishwasher. What an oversight.
So I had to call Carl, eat some crow, and ask for a part that I painstakingly extricated.
He came by and low and behold had the exact replacement part. Thanks Carl. I still had to get it back in and make sure it worked. After an hour of fidgeting it was back. The moment of truth was at hand. Would it work or would the water pour all over? It worked! Yahoo. So now I learned a lesson for next season. They do come upon us faster than we would like!
After a hectic day, which ended at 8pm, my buddy and I were ready for some dinner and figured we would go to the Out for a deluxe hamburger. But I called to check on the hours and the phone was disconnected. So we decided to head to the Kismet Inn instead.
As we approached the Inn we heard some loud music, which seemed to be coming from the Out. Approaching the Out it was lit up like The Tavern on the Green. The place was rocking. The new name is Surfs Out after a reference to Surfside Marina whose owners now are the proprietors of this good-looking place. The place was done over to the beautiful interior renovated reputedly to the tune of $1 million dollars with a beautiful side lot filled with tables, sand and surfboards. This was a preview opening with over 250 guests ferried over for free hot buffet, sushi and two bands as entertainment. It was an impressive opening to a new restaurant and wall-to-wall bar. We watched dancing bodies bumping, and rubbing to the enticing DJ tunes. Great energy. Great place but glad it is in Kismet!
We biked home and decided to try some night fishing off the dock. Quickly changing clothes we headed to the dock with poles and desire to catch the first fish of the season. We were not disappointed hooking and bringing n a 20” bass. How cool. And that is was too. Winds were picking up and it was time to head back after satisfying both the stomach and fish itch.I did not want to see the time since I had to get up early so hit the sack and fell asleep immediately.
Like any good thing it comes to an end. Left early Sunday to spend the day with the mother of my Kids, Deirdre. Sorry, but they are not kids anymore. Eric is turning 23 and the girls are now in the “ties”, not teens anymore.
I left the beach happy to be back feeling the familiar senses that have been so comforting for all these years and looking forward to seeing our old Fair Harbor “Camp” friends again, and satsified that I “successfully” tackled the seemingly omnious job of water guy.
Welcome back everyone. Just to let you know that Yoga on the Beach will be starting the Friday of Memorial Day weekend at 9:30. S-S-M will be 8:30 and 10 am. The earlier class is more rigorous. There will be weekday classes Mondays & Fridays at 9:30 and will add a Wednesday class in July. I will be at the yoga conference next weekend, hopefully learning lots of new concepts to offer in class.
Once again I will be collecting decent used clothes and unopened staples for the food bank and clothing bank at the Eastern Farmworkers in Bellport. It's a great place and everything gets used.
Welcome back everyone. Just to let you know that Yoga on the Beach will be starting the Friday of Memorial Day weekend at 9:30. S-S-M will be 8:30 and 10 am. The earlier class is more rigorous. There will be weekday classes Mondays & Fridays at 9:30 and will add a Wednesday class in July. I will be at the yoga conference next weekend, hopefully learning lots of new concepts to offer in class.
Once again I will be collecting decent used clothes and unopened staples for the food bank and clothing bank at the Eastern Farmworkers in Bellport. It's a great place and everything gets used.
Whoops. Sorry about the double entry.
Just put our house up on Craig's list but I'm really looking forward to being out there whenever the place isn't rented, so I'm not heartsick that the market isn't great.
Love the blog, it has a pitch-perfect Fair Harbor vibe.
Hi-if you missed the fun this past Saturday on Clean-up day-check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2JaN2K-VkY
Hi all,
This is Amanda Fabian and I write the column for the Fire Island Tide. I am desperately in need of information and pictures of what's happening in your lives. Please send me whatever thoughts you would like written about to afabian72@yahoo.com.
Happy Memorial Day!
It is bitter sweet for me; sweet because I have been able to get out for a few weekends to get things together at the house, see familiar faces,watch the terns dive frantically for bvait fish off our community and see everyone get just a tad more gray at the temples!
We wer fortunate to rent for July and August and still have some great June weekends.
I stopped by Corliss and picked up the latest 2009 FH Directory. Like us it just gets better with age!
Great work everyone. Kudos to Judy Corcoran, Susan Burns, Bob Jaffe,Andy Lippman, Valerie Max,Binnie Steiner, Jean Ufer and
Gene Levy.
Hope everyone gets good use out of it and enjoys Franks" poem. Maybe the first of many.
Jeff
June 6 and the summer is creeping quickly upon us. I have spend the last month working on the house doing all kinds of things I did not think i was capable of doing-tiling, fixing the dishwasher( you read about this)and now powerwashing the deck. It has all been very satisfying but just so much work. A project that I thought would take 2 hours turns into 5 hours. It is lke one of those Russian dolls that has a doll in a doll then another doll in a doll etc. Each job seems to uncover another job that needs to get done before another gets done!
But I take a break and always walk
or take a quick ride to the ocean. Mainly I look for birds gathered together diving into the water feeding on bait fish. if this happens then I am back to thehouse in a flash for my surfpole and the
following mayhem as I dash back th the beach for the few minutes on anticipated fun casting for blues or striped bass. But today I see none. However with the the beach construction I think about currents and I happened upon the notice of Riptide Awareness Week this coming week on the internet. Knoeck on wood we have not have casualities from this dangerous natural event but this link wlll tke you to the website that is certainly worth taking five minutes to read and share with your family and friends.
http://www.weather.gov/ripcurrents/
Thisis particularly important thismonth when there may be hot days before the lifeguards begin their duty. It is one of these days when one or two enthusiastic people dive in alone and may find themselves in a bad situation. But reading this short notice may save a life.
Anyway, I have to jump and make the earlyish ferry. Hey more work to do!!
What a day!
If someone were to take me, place a blindfold around my eyes, put me in a plane, fly me for 2 hours and plop me down on the new Fair Harbor
beach and remove my blindfold I woudl swear I was in Florida! The ocean was awesome today with a beautiful semi-clear clean blue green water breakikng on a beautiful beach. The only way I would know it is FH is by Feder's large yellow house behind the dune.
Such a beautiful day with temps in the mid 70's and sun gleaming on the water had dozens of sunbathers on the beach, surfers looking for the perfect wave,crazy teens actually swimming, tots building small sand structures and one lone fisher, me. I could not resist the call of the wild and hoped that today would yield the first bass or blue of the season.
I walked the beach looking for the perfect crease in the wave pattern.
Finding a couple I made my first cast of the season. I won't wax poetically here, but as the shinging lure flew through the air and made a plunk into the beautiful water I was back in summer. Retrieving it erratically I hoped to attract a hungry fish. Again , again, and again I tossed, retrieved and hoped for a strike.
Unfortunately the only catch of the day was the hook on my shorts as I put my gear away for the day.
As I walked back towards the house( to finish more chores) I marvelled at the beauty of the day.
I love to travel but always love being on Fire Island. Even a short day on the beach, seeing friends and basking in the sun for my first beach day is, as they say, priceless.
SAVE THE DATE:
HOLLY WALK BAY to OCEAN DECK SALE
Saturday July 11, 2009
10 am to 1:00
THE SOCIAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
It's the first (and maybe last) ever Bi-coastal Holly Walk Deck Sale.
Almost every home from Bay to Ocean is participating.
• Buy EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING
• From Junk to Jewels.
• Collectibles to unmentionables
• 1000s of items too shabby to regift will be on sale.
• Everything you ever thought left the island on Garbage Day will be making a re-appearance.
• You may even be able to find Sea-shells with scribbles on them.
There will also be clothes, tools, knick-knacks and more.• Kids will be selling Lemonade and Martinis.
DECK THE HOLLY WITH BOUGHS OF JUNK.
TRA LA LA LA LA, LA LA LA LA
Saturday July 11, 2009
10 am to 1:00
hello fellow fair harborites!
I'm lauren Yapalater, Jeff's daughter. I'm going into my junior year of college, and i'm [still] looking for a summer job.
i'm interested in entertainment/fashion/PR etc., but at this point i'm willing to do anything. I'm efficient on the computer, i'm an experienced waitress, i've done magazine/editorial research, steamed clothes, done clerical work and much more. I can learn very quickly anything that needs to be done.
if anyone out there has any leads or contacts on part time or full time summer jobs (ending beg. september) let me know!!
you can email me at lyapalater@yahoo.com
thanks alot!! see you all at the beach.
Lauren Yapalater
Oak walk resident
PLEASE FORWARD--
In the NYTimes today, Oct 23, page A8 there is story about the dolphin mammal slaughter in Japan.This is crazy.
I have added a comment to my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr0QxKLktpY
PLEASE FORWARD IS SUPPORT OF STOPPING THE HUNT.ImagINE the killing of these magnificent, intelligent creatures?? Japan has a history of herding and killing thousands of these a year! They do the same with whales.
There is not need for this behavior in the search for food.
Please forward this video in support of the cessation of this
cruel behavior and watch the movie The Cove if you really want to get motivated.
This video was shot in Sept 09, 80 miles off of Long Island aboard the Wasabi.
Amazing day on the water "communicating" with these fish.
The snow still hides in cold corners of my driveway but with the temps reaching 50 today, thoughts of the summer are sprouting in my head like the crocus soon to pop out of the cold earth.
My thoughts also turn to Corliss Whitney who passed away this winter. Gone is the vibrant and wonderful woman who
brought sunshine to many Fair Harbor residents over the years. She loved the beach and developed her store over the years eventually turning over to her son Jeff. Corliss and I did business years ago. She would often ask me to procure some unusual item and I would try my hardest to help. She often laughed and say she never knew what I did, but I did it well for her. Corliss's energy was endless since she was a Rockette back in the day. Even past the sweet age of 70, she worked with the ageless veteran group to do charity and local events promoting the girls of Radio City. I don't know of many women her age still being able to do a high leg kick. She was.
As the spring comes and I begin to head out to do work on the house, I will think of Corliss in front of her store getting things organized and her showcases full.
Even thought she is not physically there I will pass by and say Hi to her spirit and wish her peace.
I was stunned to hear of Jeff Waldhuter’s passing. Jeff was one of many Fair Harbor community neighbors that I had a casual, Ferry relationship with over the past 25 years.
As homeowners, we would often catch up on our lives on the ferry to and fro, both pre and post season. This quite common for many of us to maintain friendships over the years despite not really having strong ties other than our strong love of Fire Island and Fair Harbor. The unique qualities of this magical place has bonded us all in such strong ways that even though we may not be best friends with so many of the community members, our ties to each other are strung together by our love of this place. My view of Jeff was one of a good regular guy. There was no drama with him, no problems. Just a decent, warm interaction that was welcomed whenever we met on the ferry. I heard one story today about how he nurtured and actually incubated a wild duck after its mother failed to return to the nest. The duck returned a couple of years and mothered her eggs and ducklings at his place having been imprinted by Jeff.
What a great testament to the simpatico displayed by an obvious sensitive individual.
There are probably other touching stories that can be told about so many other community people and it is such a shame we don’t find out about them during one’s life.
And life is what Fair Harbor is all about-enjoying one’s life, beginning new lives, and sharing common experiences at all ages. Fair Harbor is my spiritual community having this in lieu of any organized religious environment. I feel very connected to all the people who choose to spend as much time here as possible. Despite wealth or status, our lives ebb and flow together in an environment in which nature is the fabric of our shared cloth. Jeff was one of our threads and this colorful, wonderful cloth will be a bit more threadbare without him. God rest his soul. May each of us love and share a bit more in our little bit of paradise.
Part 1-
How many years have I been coming to Fair Harbor? 30? How many times have I taken the ferry? 600 times? And more embarrasing is how many times have I mis-read the schedule? I won't divulge this but will say one time too many.
Case in point, I was heading out to shut down for the season last weekend and went online to see the schedule( the online is handy but be careful). I had a 4 hour window so wanted to b sure the connections would work. Now we all know the ferry schedule reduces to a very small number of trips after Columbus Day. You've got asterisks, double asterisks, double ended arrows all indicating the cessation of one departure or qualifying the running of a ferry on a certain holiday or not.
You have to be very careful not to
read the Bayshore or Fair Harbor side when figuring the departures. (What did I say, how many years?).
So click on the online and quickly choose Fair Harbor. Ok, not too bad since there is a 12:50 leaving Bayshore and a 4:35 returning. Perfect. Just enough time to turn off the water, drain, anti-freeze, clean moldy remains from the frig, tidy up, sweep and make sure the house is in order.
I leave my home on LI in plenty of time to drive to Bayshore, find a free parking space on the pier and walk to the ferry with two bulging bags of supplies to clean up.
As I am dropping off the bags at the ferry I just decide to be sure I read the schedule correctly. Lo and behold, there is no 12:50 nor 4:35 to Fair Harbor. I had inadvertantly pulled the Ocean Beach schedule up on the computer. Having a small netbook the top of the schedule was cut off. The schedules all look the same so who knew!
Anyway here I was and my choice was to wait an hour or so then have one hour to do all I had to do. After mulling this quickly ( can one mull quickly?) I decided to drop, the bags, rush to park and then take this 12:50 to Saltaire then walk to the house. It turns out there was a 3:35 back from Fair Harbor but that left me with only about an hour and half to do my thing. My window of opportunity went from 4 hours to 1 1/2 hours. I can do this I think. Plan B was to take whatever time it took then walk back along Central hoping to find a year-rounder and hitch a ride to the closest point where my car was parked then taking a cab from that dropoff to Bayshore. That would be part of the plan if need be but things were getting very complicated for this back-up plan. I figured that I best just get to the house and hunker down.
Along the way I avoided any human contact. I had no time to shoot the breeze with anyone knowing how I tend to stretch these things out. Luckily and strangely I did not see one person along the way after the short group dispersal after disembarking from the ferry.
In a way I missed seeing people I knew even if it was a quick ride-by and wave of the hand. Comforting sign of friendship on the island.
Continued...
Part 2
Getting to the house in record time I got to work. Changed clothes, crawled under the house, turned main water and drained all faucets.
Crawling under the house I felt like a combat guy squirming low to the ground to avoid sniper fire. Then I hoped I would not disturb any local snakes from under some
piled wood. After slightly banging my head and scraping my forearm in the process I got out then attacked the interior of the house.
Whipping through the closing process I was ever concerned about possible missing the last ferry and having to deploy Plan B.
I charged into packing, putting things away, piling chairs, folding towels, pouring anti-freeze into water traps, swept, putting bikes away, hand picking a couple of books to bring home, gathering garbage as the time ticked in the back of my mind.
All done, I looked at the time figuring I had 10 minutes to get to the ferry.
However, totally to my surprise it had only taken me less than an hour to accomplish all this. That was so weird. I could have sworn it was much longer. How could I have done all that lone in an hour?
But it was as it was.
I took a deep breath and remembered the sandwich I had packed. I dug it out, went outside and pulled up a chair facing West and quietly enjoyed my last meal of the season as the warm rays of the sunny day bathed me in happiness.
From there on it was all downhill.
I made the Bayshore bound ferry easily, got to the car and was content that I managed to to all I had to do. I smiled to myself.
After getting things put away in the car I then decided to stop by a tackle shop in Babylon on the way home to browse. To my surprise, as I was looking around the store I see Don Thornberg walk in. "Hey Don" how goes it. He tells me he just drove off the island to come by and pick some bait up.
You did what! Yep, he just drove off. He would have the perfect Plan B. Oh well...
Happy winter to you all.
On A Sad Note:
On a sad note, I want to offer condolences to both Ilene O'Neil and Laura Braglia. Both Jack and Gary passed on recently and I offer my warmest condolences to the surviving spouses and family.
I get used to seeing certain faces at certain times of the year and both Jack and Gary were a couple of them.
Gary's perch by the ocean is wonderful and I will think of Jack as well sitting in his vehicle on the top of the Oak Walk stairs.
I imagine both of them taking in all the beauty their eyes could hold. Both of these men loved the beach and the amazing view they both coveted.
I will miss them along with May Silver, Bill Manowitz and of course Corliss.
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